Craft time

This afternoon my daughter Caitlin and one of her high school friends (who now goes to RISD) sat at our table beading necklaces and earrings, my other daughter Natalie sat next to me on the couch cross stitching a leaf, I enjoyed their life, college, and craft chatter and felt the urge to make something, so Natalie requested a hot water bottle (crocheted) cover in her favorite colors.
"What about granny square variations?" I asked, pulling orange and red skeins out of one of my many craft project boxes.
"That sounds great ma."
I am remembering that I used to know tricksy moves like the "Front Post Double Crochet"and now have to look at photographs with detailed instructions in order to make these stitches.

It feels so good to make something that only has to be functional and pretty. I don't have to worry if I've inadvertently picked up some great poet's imagery, I don't have to worry that I've swiped a Chip Kidd or Honi Werner cover flavor, I don't ever have to ask if my sock monkey or oven mitt is ready for a professional hall of fame. Nope, pretty and functional, which is about all I could ask for the holiday season playing out here at home.